System Analysis: Organizational And Concept Change

[schir1964]

Organizational An Concept Change

Current Paradigm

Power mechanics are designed to handle SFX concepts in generic way.

First, they define a number of base constructs with fixed and rigid rules on how they interact with one another.

Second, they added on Advantages and Limitations that grant flexibility to the base constructs so they can represent even a wider range of SFX.

 

However, Advantages and Limitations are treated differently in that the rules encourage Custom Limitations to be created as needed for the games, but Custom Advantages are discouraged (lack of guidelines for creation).

Furthermore, both Advantages and Limitations have various rigid restrictions as to what powers may used with them plus there are numerous Advantages that could add more flexibility to Powers, but are missing. Such as an Advantage to remove the Fade Rate from an Adjustment Power just for an example.

 

Proposed Paradigm

First, create base constructs that are generic in regards to SFX and define the mechanic interactions with each other.

Second, create Advantages and Limitations that allow full flexibility and customization of any base construct.

 

Key Guideline:

The guideline for creating the base constructs functionality would be based on the commonality of the things that exist in the source material to be simulated. So many of the current constructs and so forth would exist as they are now. What would be added is a GM Permission Only master list of Advantages/Limitations that would allow one to totally re-engineer a mechanic to work differently that it was originally designed.

 

Thus we could things like Reaction Limitation/Reactionless Advantage for Telekinesis or Alter Target Defense for Tunneling. Those things where the current rules completely forbid something wouldn't be necessary since GM Permission would be required to change it anyway.

 

Just Some Thoughts

 

- Christopher Mullins